SpellABCD FAQs

Go to the SpellABCD.com web site. From the top navigation, choose Install > Full Installation.

This can change on different computers. But, most likely, it will be in your Downloads Folder.

You might, as the internet wants to keep you safe. But be assured that the SpellABCD files are checked for viruses and malware prior to loading them onto the web site. You can safely download the installation file by clicking download anyway or a similar message.

You might, as your computer environment wants to keep you safe. But be assured that you can run the file without worry. You can use the Run Anyway button to install the software.

The installation will put a Spell Menu shortcut on your desktop. You can double-click that icon to get the SpellABCD menu. Choose Spelling Admin Tools - Administrators to begin setting up your SpellABCD environment. Start with the Registration button to register the program.

You should get an email telling you that an update is ready for you to download. That email should have basic instructions plus the update number and date that you can find on the Update page on the SpellABCD website. The Administrator’s screen will also show you if a new update is needed.

Not sure. But at the bottom of the Administrative Options screen, you will always see your current update number in red letters. If a new update is posted, you will get a message and be reminded to update to that new update number.

When you get an email reminder, go to the SpellABCD web site (spellabcd.com). Navigate in the top navigation menu to Install > Install Updates. Go to the Download the Spell Update Package page and download the update number you were instructed to get. You may have to get multiple updates if you are behind.

Download the appropriate update number file. You will get a file called Update_Here_xxxx.zip where xxxx is your update number. That zip file may be in your Downloads folder. Extract the zip file. In the Update_Here_xxxx folder, double-click the Update_Here.bat file to run the installation package.

It would probably be best if you did this process for each computer. Each computer keeps track of its own update number it has and what is needed.

Registering helps us support you better and keep you updated with the latest news. If there are any issues with your installation, we can compare your registration data to your current data to help fix an issue.

If you are a teacher and are installing the SpellABCD system into your classroom, choose Teacher and enter the grade and the computer number you are registering in your classroom. If you are a family installing on your home for you children, choose Family. Anything else, choose Other (like clubs, libraries, other type of schools, etc.)

Yes, click Registration again and you will be taken to the update form where you can change any of the fields.

It is stored in a secure area only accessible by the correct credentials.

Your web account is your key to accessing the interactive parts of SpellABCD. You will need an account to:

• Manage Student Access: Create and manage individual student logins, allowing your children or students to play the SpellABCD web games.
• Join the Community: Participate in our forum to share ideas and connect with other parents and teachers.

If you don't need access to the web games or the forum, then no account is required.

Yes, a Web Account is required to access all of our online features. The Windows registration and the Web Account are separate for different purposes.

• The Windows Software Registration unlocks the full version of the program that you download and run directly on your computer.
• The Web Account is your portal for all online activities. It allows you to manage student profiles and access our web-based games and community forums from any device with an internet connection.

To get started online, simply create your Web Account (we recommend using the same email) and then add a profile for each student who will be playing the web games.

Think of the Class Code as the address for your private classroom. When a student enters this code, it unlocks the door to a special login page that shows *only* the student usernames you have created.

From there, your child or student simply picks their name from the list and enters their personal PIN to start playing. It's a simple, two-step process designed specifically for kids who don't have their own email addresses. You get to create the code, so you can make it something easy for everyone to remember, like msgray or Johnsons1823.

Enter them as you wish. You can enter John or John Smith. Names need to be unique. If you have multiple Johns, enter John H or John P. All of these are acceptable names. Enter one name at a time.

No, you must delete the misspelled name and re-add it correctly.

Yes.

Yes.

Select a child name first!! Then you can add words one at a time (type in the word and press Add Word). Or you can add multiple words on the line separated by commas (snow, sled, winter, ice) and press Add Word.

highlight the word and click Delete Word.

Highlight the word and click Change word. Type in the new word spelled correctly and click OK.

It will erase all your words so you can start over again.

This is a powerful command. It will copy all the words in the word list you are looking at to all the other children in your class. You can copy the word list, your sentences for that child’s name or both words and sentences.

The Copy All feature is designed for exactly this. Imagine you have a new set of vocabulary words and practice sentences for the week.

1. Set up the words and sentences for a single student.
2. Click Copy All.
3. Instantly, that same material is assigned to every other student in the class, saving you valuable time.

Yes. You can make multiple changes. When done click Save Word List. If you click Exit by mistake and you have made changes, the program will catch that and remind you to Save.

Yes, they are sorted A to Z.

Select a child’s name first!!. Then Create New Sentences if you want an internet Artificial Intelligence (AI) program to pick them for you. Or you can add your own sentences by typing in the sentence and pressing Add Sentence.

You can Replace All, Save Some Sentences, or Cancel. Replace all will go out to the AI program and get you new sentences for you to review. The program will ask you for a grade level. Pick a grade level of the sentences you would like. The grade level is just an approximation. It is relative. Tenth grade sentences should be more sophisticated than eighth grade sentences, for example. You can experiment. If you don’t like the sentence. Just replace them with another grade level if you like.

If you press Save Some Sentences, you can select the sentence you want (click a sentence) to save (that you like) and the AI program will replace the others in the list.

Highlight the sentence and click Delete Sentence.

Highlight the sentence and click Change Sentence. Highlight the sentence to change and change it. Once it is the way you want it, click Change Sentence.

Yes, just click Spell Check and it will spell check all the sentences displayed in your sentence display box.

From the computer desktop, click the Spell Menu . Then click the Spelling Words button.

If you have multiple students / children, it will ask you to choose one before you begin. It will use that child’s spelling words file.

The game will go through each of the spelling words for that student in a random order. It will say the word (i.e, “Spell winter”). Then the user can guess a letter, one at a time. If that letter is in the word, it will put the word up on the screen. You only get 5 wrong guesses. If you get the word, you go onto the next word. If you don’t get the word, the program will show you the word and then you can go on to the next word.

From the computer desktop, click the Spell Menu icon. Then click the Spelling Sentences button.

If you have multiple students / children, it will ask you to choose one before you begin. It will use that child’s spelling sentence file.

The program will set up for a minute and give the student a chance to orient him/herself. When the student is ready, press the Start button. The program will say the sentence out loud. After a second or 2 to absorb the sentence in the student’s mind, he/she can type the sentence into the entry bar. Remember to capitalize the first word and put the appropriate punctuation at the end of the sentence. If the child wants to hear the sentence out loud again, press Repeat. If the student thinks the sentence is correct, press Guess. If the guess is correct the game will tell you. If he/she misses it, it will show you the correct sentence. When you have guessed all your sentences, the game will end.

There are 2 Out of Bounds program types.

• One is a stand-alone version where you can play with multiple students on one computer.
• The other is an internet version where you can play with multiple students in different areas or on different computers.

From the computer desktop, click the Spell Menu icon. Then click either the Out of Bounds – stand alone version button or the Out of Bounds – Internet version button.

If you have multiple students / children, it will ask you to choose all the players who are playing, before you begin.

After you choose the students who are playing on the one computer, Click the Start Game button. You can also set the difficulty level to easy (top right quadrant only) or hard (all 4 quadrants).

When your name is announced, Pick a Card. When the button turns green, it's your turn. Click it! A card will show your next position on the grid. Move your mouse to that spot and click that coordinate to place your piece.

Click the Connect button to get online, then enter the username you would like to use and click Set Username. To set up the game, One person needs to be the Host to create the game.

For the Host:

1. Click the Create OOB Game button.
2. Choose the 'easy' or 'hard' difficulty level.
3. A Game ID will appear. Share this ID with all the other players.
4. Once everyone has joined, click the Start Game button to begin!

For all the Other Players:

1. Get the Game ID from the Host.
2. Enter the ID into the box and click the Join Game button.
3. You'll wait in the game lobby until the Host starts the game.

Take Your Turn: When your name is announced and the Pick a Card button turns green, it's your move. Click it!

Make Your Move: A card will show your next spot on the grid. Move your mouse to that coordinate and click to place your piece.

You have 45 seconds to make a move when it is your turn. If you don’t make a move, your turn is skipped. If you miss 6 turns in a row, you are kicked out of that game and the game will notify you of that situation when you return to the game. So don’t leave the game!

The Out of Bounds game really has no winners or losers. It is a game that’s real intention is to teach you about the coordinate plane and building core graphing skills. That said, the goal is to move your piece Out of Bounds. So when you have the option to move in multiple directions, pick the direction toward the edges of the coordinate grid if you want to win before anybody else.

From the computer desktop, click the Spell Menu icon. Then click the Math Dance game button.

Select a player's name from the list and click the Submit button to get started.

Customize the game to match your student's skill level. You can set:

• The Highest Number: Choose the maximum number that can appear in the problems. (e.g., setting it to 10 means problems will use numbers between 0-10).
• Type of Math: Select addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.
• Time Limit: Set how many seconds the player must answer each question.
• Number of Problems: Choose how many problems to solve to complete the game.

Click the Start

From the computer desktop, click the Spell Menu icon. Then click the US Capitals and States game button.

Select a player's name from the list and click the Submit button to get started.

1. A set of blanks will appear, showing the number of letters in a US capital's name.
2. Type letters one by one to guess the capital.
3. If you guess a correct letter, it will appear in the blanks.
4. Be careful! You only have 5 misses before you have to move on.

Once you correctly guess the capital city, you'll then be asked to type in the name of the state where that capital is located.

The game is over once you have correctly matched all 10 capitals with their states. Good luck!